Little Victories
by Jedimistress
Summary: Seven years after Sasuke's departure, Sakura must go undercover as an Akatsuki member in order to take down Uchiha Madara. When she discovers that Sasuke is leading a small rebellion himself, she must work to gain the Uchiha's trust. Can they save Naruto?
1. Chapter 1

_Little Victories_

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor will I ever.

Rating: R/M for Language and Adult humor. Possible lemon will be posted separately.

Genre: Adventure/Romance

Pairings: Sasuke/Sakura Naruto/Hinata

*Follows canon through Chapter 469, just before Kisame goes after the Hachibi. Storyline will change from there, beginning approximately four years afterward.

Summary: Sakura goes undercover as a member of Akatsuki and makes unexpected allies with Sasuke Uchiha. Will they be able to take down Madara?

Chapter One- And So It Begins

By appearances only, the village seemed calm and peaceful. Civilians milled around the streets, taking care of their daily business unaware of the shinobi who trained in a nearby field with their teammates. The sun shone brightly on the small ramen stand where two ANBU shinobi sat, sharing a meal as they had hundreds of times before.

An observer would think that all was well between the two, as they regularly broke into laughter and she occasionally hit him on the arm playfully. Her cherry blossom hair would tickle her face as it fell from her ponytail while she shook her head in mock disbelief, while his ocean blue eyes were outshone only by the smile adorning his handsome face. Only the two of them would notice the small crease in his forehead or the bluish bags that hung under her apple-green eyes that were smartly hidden by some well-place concealer. They knew each other too well to let appearances fool them.

The shinobi world was in turmoil under the peaceful facade, and Uzumaki Naruto and Haruno Sakura knew better than anyone the dangers that lurked outside the pleasant illusion the villagers happily lived in.

They had known since the treaty of the Kage Summit was broken due to the capture of the hachibi. It was clear a year later, while they sat visiting the Hokage, that the situation was, in fact, much worse than they had imagined. Sakura clearly remembered shaking in her chair as Sai recalled the details of his latest mission. After denouncing Danzo, Sai had been absent for an entire year. Naruto and Sakura had wondered where he had gone, and if he was even still alive.

It turned out that Sai had been investigating Akatsuki's movements since they had captured the hachibi three years after the Kage Summit. Tsunade had awoken from the coma a month later, thanks to Sakura's medical prowess and much to Kakashi's relief. Paperwork just wasn't his thing. Danzo retreated to the shadows and returned to ROOT, while Sai finally left the elite organization and pledged his loyalty to the Godaime. He was sent on his mission immediately after.

"My objective was to acquire information about Akatsuki's movements and their involvement with the bijuu," he explained after Naruto threatened to kick his ass if he didn't start explaining where he had been in the past year. "It turns out that Uchiha Madara has been Akatsuki's leader since the organization's conception. He has been gathering the bijuu in an attempt to harness their power for some kind of world takeover. He was behind both the Kyuubi attack 20 years ago and the Uchiha massacre. He also knows Danzo, but exactly how is still undetermined. The Akatsuki are smart and stealthy- they cover their tracks perfectly and only make themselves known if it serves their purpose.

"The bottom line is this: Madara has the other eight beasts in his possession, and he plans to use their power to destroy the entire country and rebuild it as he sees fit. We all know that this would destroy the quality of life that we live to protect. The only thing that's stopping him..."

"Is that he doesn't have the Kyuubi," Naruto finished in a whisper, hanging his head in his hands as he tried to digest all that Sai had just said.

"So what is he waiting for?" Tsunade asked, folding her hands and resting her forehead on her pointed fingers. Sakura looked at Sai expectingly.

"Intel suggests that he doesn't have all of the information he needs. He has been sending the members on missions to research the bijuus' creation and power. Either the information is extremely elusive, or the members are incompetent."

"Akatsuki aren't incompetent- something must be going on within..." Sakura thought out loud.

"These mission take months due to travel time and the need to remain unseen. Still," Sai agreed, "something should have surfaced. Madara's problem is that his followers' numbers have dwindled. He has very few people trusted enough to cover the amount of space that he's been searching."

"He's lacking in resources..." Tsunade concluded, her brow furrowed in thought. Sakura was quite familiar with that look.

"You have a plan, Shishou?"

"Bottom line- Madara can't have Naruto. We need more information on his plan, and we need to take the bastard out. Neither will be easy."

"Try damn near impossible."

Tsunade gave a wry smile to the silver-haired visitor who had appeared from the shadows.

"About damn time you showed up, Captain."

"Well, you see, there was this little old woman..."

"Save it, Sempai," Naruto drawled. He ignored the hurt look on his former sensei's face as he turned his attention back to Tsunade. "So what's the plan?"

"Plan?" Sakura asked in disbelief. "Naruto, this requires a lot of thought and careful planning. How on earth are we going to stop someone as powerful as Madara?"

Naruto scratched the back of his head and thought for a moment, feeling a bit sheepish.

"Umm..." he smiled uncertainly, "you could seduce him with your pretty face?" He opened one eye to see a small fist headed toward him at an alarming speed.

"Baka!"

"Sakura, don't kill Naruto," Kakashi sighed automatically. "Tsunade-sama, Naruto has a point."

"What?!" Sakura squeaked indignantly.

"And exactly what kind of point does Naruto have, Kakashi?" Tsunade asked tiredly. She had needed sake for over three hours now.

"Sakura is both gorgeous and talented..."

"Ugh! You guys make me sick."

"... What you need is an infiltration mission," Kakashi continued, ignoring the pout on Sakura's lips. "Sakura is perfect- she had perfect chakra control, so an infallible henge would be no problem. She is powerful with taijutsu thanks to Lee, and her medical abilities are advanced beyond even you, Hokage-sama. Both can easily be passed off as an unique enough ability to pass Akatsuki's standards..."  
"You're nuts!" Naruto yelled, as he finally started to understand where his mentor was going with the current line of thought.

"And who else would we send, Dickless? You?"

"Shut up, you emotionless..."

"ENOUGH!" Tsunade yelled, quickly bringing everyone back to attention. "Kakashi may be on to something. But it won't be easy, and it will be incredibly dangerous."

"It would seem that we have no other option, Shishou," Sakura stood, carefully considering Kakashi's suggestion. "We know little about Madara, and even less about how to take him down. We need someone on the inside, especially if we can put ourselves in the position to manipulate some of the information he receives. If I could get close to him, I may find out something that can bring him down before he gets to Naruto."

"Sakura-chan," Naruto protested, grabbing her arm gently.

"Naruto, no one else can do this but me. You need to stay here and protect this village. You also need to start contacting all of those friends you've made throughout the years- we'll need their support if they decide to come for you."

"But we don't even know how to begin going about this!" He protested.

"Actually," Sai interrupted, patting the stack of files sitting atop the Hokage's desk, "we do."

"Initiation rites, base sites, profiles- it's all here thanks to Sai's observations," the Hokage admitted. "This may have some merit to it. Kurenai could create a perfect henge, and Shikamaru would be able to come up with a detailed enough back story. You've completed plenty of undercover missions successfully, so it shouldn't be a problem for you to remain in character for extended periods of time."

"Kami, you really are considering this!" Naruto cried. Sakura was his sister- he had always loved her, even if he had been confused about what kind of love it was at first. To know she would be in harm's way with so many dangerous people for unknown periods of time was unacceptable to him. He wouldn't be around to look out for her.

But maybe someone could.

"Sasuke..."

"What?" Sakura asked, unsure as to why Naruto would bring up such a taboo name at this time.

"Sasuke is a ranking member of Akatsuki. It's going to be tougher to get on his side than Madara's."

"The asshole won't even know it's me," Sakura reasoned, "he won't hold any grudges."

"He's an asshole! He always holds grudges!" Naruto explained. He sighed reservedly. "But he also follows a strange moral code. If you can somehow get on his side, he'll protect you," Naruto whispered. Sakura smiled sweetly when she realized the reasoning behind his tangent.

"You've always taken care of me, Naruto-kun. For eight years, you have been a brother to me," she spoke quietly as she hugged his broad shoulders. "It's time for me to take care of you."

"I take it that you are accepting this mission?" Tsunade asked, looking into her pupil's determined green eyes. Kakashi, Sai and Naruto looked at her nervously.

"Hai, Hokage-sama," she stated, looking at Naruto with determination. "I accept."

"Good. Then we will reconvene after I have spoken with Kurenai and Nara Shikamaru. For now, you are dismissed."

"Hai!" The four chorused, before dropping their masks back into place and disappearing into the night.

*****

Sakura fell silent as she poked at her noodles with her chopsticks. Naruto noticed his teammate's actions but found it difficult to decide what to do next. He had been pulling out all the stops to make Sakura laugh, to make her _happy_, for the past hour as they had sat at Ichiraku's eating lunch, but his bag of tricks was running low and the fear and doubt about the upcoming mission threatened to resurface. Sakura noticed the worry in her brother's cerulean eyes, knowing all too well the toll it was taking on him.

"It'll be alright, Naruto," she whispered quietly as she noticed Ayame looking at them suspiciously over the pot she was stirring. "We need to complete this mission as soon as possible, and I really don't see any other choice."

Naruto nodded sadly. It seemed they had had this conversation a million times since the mission had been assigned, but his heart never grew any lighter. It wasn't the infiltration part that scared him- he had the utmost confidence in Sakura's abilities, and after being on hundreds of missions with her, he knew exactly what she was capable of. He wasn't even worried about the mission being a failure. Sakura was a scrappy individual, and he intelligence was rivaled only by Shikamaru; he had no doubt she could gather the information they needed.

No. What worried him the most about this mission was the black-haired, onyx eyed son-of-a-bitch that would inevitably break her heart all over again.

His absence had eased her pain as time went on. The longer he was away, the more corrupt he seemed to become, and Sakura was quick to dismiss any affection she had once felt for him. But Naruto knew his Sakura-chan better than anyone, and only he knew how deep her true feelings for the avenger ran. She had grown into a lovely young woman- not as stereotypically pretty as Ino, and not as beautiful in his eyes as his Hinata-chan- but a catch, nevertheless. The men of the village had noticed her, and she hadn't refrained from dating them, but Naruto knew that the insanely long hours she put into the hospital weren't the only thing keeping her from a long-term relationship. Seven years had passed since Uchiha Sasuke had left the village for Orochimaru's hideout, and while Naruto was sure that Sakura wanted to castrate him as much as he did, he also knew that the deepest part of her heart was reserved for the Teme (who was definitely getting his ass rasenganed if he ever came back).

"I have all of my faith in you, Sakura-chan," he smiled sadly, "I just don't like the fact that you'll be in danger every hour of every day. I can't even think about what I would do if anything went wrong..."

"It's simple, Naruto," she smiled, pointing her chopsticks at him matter-of-factly. "Life goes on. You'll kick Madara's geezer ass, become Hokage, marry Hinata, have ten kids, and name one after me. Got it?"

Naruto almost spewed his ramen all over the counter.

"Ten kids?!"

"Not all at once, silly. Hell, I think even Hinata would close off a certain 'chakra point', if she had to have ten kids at once, if ya know what I mean," she winked as she elbowed him playfully in the side. "It's just that the world needs more lavender-eyed Uzumaki kids running around."

Naruto gave her his best "you are clinically insane" look. Sakura looked at him slyly.

"I'm surprised there's not a few of them running around already, with the way you two go at it..."

"Check please!"

"Thank Kami for birth control shots, eh?"

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto yelled, embarrassed by the pink-haired kunoichi who was currently laughing so hard he thought she'd wet herself.

_On second thought, _he smirked, _maybe Sasuke is getting exactly what he deserves._

_****  
_

He sat quietly by the fire in the nondescript cave hidden deep into the heart of water country, trying to ease his mind by focusing on the gentle crackling and popping sounds reverberating off the walls. The shadow figures of the other nin would soon appear to meet with him, and Sasuke silently prayed to whatever god would listen that they wouldn't turn on him after he had spoken his piece.

He had been reading into their reactions closely for the past year. He had noticed every raised brow, every inflection in their responses to the leader's orders. He had eavesdropped outside every bedroom door. While he had personally squashed every emotion and personal opinion, only displaying what he wanted the world to see, he hoped his own knowledge of human emotions wouldn't fail him. He was a prodigy- a genius- and he prayed his sharp mind would see him through. If he was wrong, he would have to kill unknown numbers of Akatsuki. He was confident in his abilities, but every member of Akatsuki was powerful. It would be troublesome, and he had yet to come up with an excuse to explain to Madara why so many of his followers had mysteriously disappeared.

It had taken three years for him to come to his senses. He had second-guessed every prejudice and analyzed every emotion. He had done countless hours of reconnaissance and research about the leader of Akatsuki and the events behind his family's murder. His pain had made him angry and narrow-minded, and he had allowed himself to be used at every turn. Orochimaru had used his anger to grow powerful, and Madara was using the knowledge of Itachi's truth to turn Sasuke into a tool of mass destruction. His frail emotions and intense anger had fed into Madara's insane plans perfectly, and he had been blind to it all. Years had passed before Sasuke realized an important fact- he couldn't trust anyone who was using him. Juugo gave him the solution one night after they had drunk a bit too much sake: if he wanted answers and justice regarding how to avenge his beloved clan, he would have to find them himself. Everyone else could go to hell as far as he was concerned.

When Madara had so cleverly thought to test him by sending him to Konoha to investigate information about the Kyuubi, Sasuke instead used the time to seek information about that fateful night. As much as he had wanted to assassinate the council elders, he chose instead to inspect his old living quarters in a hope to discover some truth about his past. He discovered the coup plans under the floorboards in his parent's bedroom. He found birth certificates, marriage agreements, and family pictures in the library, and even more information in the ruins of the police headquarters. He had even attempted to break into the Hokage's personal file storage, however his efforts were thwarted by a pink-haired ANBU officer in a cat's mask who alerted the authorities as soon as she heard him rustling in the next aisle over. He narrowly escaped, not willing to risk the knowledge of his return to the village. He returned to Madara empty-handed, but he had gotten the information he was looking for.

Itachi had murdered his clan in an attempt to avoid a civil war. He had chosen the lesser of two evils, and he had been a hero that Sasuke could only dream of. For once, Sasuke was at peace with staying in his Nii-san's shadow. His ideals changed, and he realized that he needn't destroy himself or the world in order to set things right, as Madara's ideas so narrowly focused on. He need to uphold his brother's honor to make things right, and that began with protecting those dear to him. Now he only needed to discover those who fit that description. He feared it would be a long time before he ever would. There was one other alternative- to protect what had been so important to his brother- the people of Konohakagure. For only the second time since his family's massacre, he cried. How could one man be so wrong?

His new outlook clashed violently with Madara's, however, and Sasuke knew it would take a shit-ton of effort to release himself from his grip. His thoughts drew to a morbid conclusion as the shadowed forms of his peers began to form around the dwindling fire. He stood slowly to greet them.

"What is the meaning of this, Sasuke-san?" Juugo's flickering form asked.

Sasuke took a deep breath.

"Uchiha Madara needs to be eliminated."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

He hadn't needed to kill anyone.

After voicing his opinion, Sasuke looked expectingly at the sputtering forms of Karin, Juugo and Suigetsu. If they didn't agree with him, they were nuts. Luckily, whether from loyalty to their patchwork team or from common beliefs, the three had agreed with the youngest Uchiha. Now, only one question remained.

How the hell were they going to pull this off?

Currently, Sasuke had split the Akatsuki members into two groups: four members who wanted Madara dead, and three who were faithful to the leader. The odds would have been in Sasuke's favor, had it not been for the fact that Kisame had more chakra than the four of them combined, Zetsu was a phase-shifting freak, and Madara had both the sharingan and eight bijuus' worth of power.

_Fuck._

Sasuke sat tiredly by the now-extinguished fire pit, feeling both relieved and overwhelmed by what had just taken place. He had been right about the former members of team Hebi, which implied that he could gather more supporters in the future. On the other hand, he would need a lot more support in order to pull this off- and his time was running out.

One glimmer of hope remained; Madara had extended the order to recruit more members of Akatsuki. If he could get to them before Madara did, he might be able to stage a coup.

Who said history didn't repeat itself?

Sasuke placed a genjutsu alarm at the mouth of the cave before laying down in a dark corner to sleep. Tomorrow he would begin the search for allies.

***

"The timing is perfect, which is scary in and of itself," Tsunade commented as she evaluated the seven shinobi crowding her office. Nara Shikamaru, Hyuuga Hinata, Kurenai Yuhi, Hatake Kakashi, Haruno Sakura and Uzumaki Naruto stood carefully around the Hokage's desk, listening to the complicated mission briefing.

"Sakura, while you will serve as the inside officer on this mission, every one of you will be required to support and facilitate our objective. Shikamaru- have you prepared the background information?"

Shikamaru pushed himself off the wall to place a file in Tsunade's awaiting hand. He handed a second copy to Sakura.

"Your name is Takeshi Sayuri. You have lived in the outskirts of Hidden Cloud, deep within Lightening country, training under a man by the name of Uraki Kenji. He was the chief medic of the village, but was recently killed in a raid. Your motivation for joining Akatsuki will be to avenge his death and protect the village. Cloud has strong shinobi, but a weak system- many ninja have left the village to follow their own path."

"Why is it always about revenge?" Naruto quipped, chewing indignantly on a toothpick as his fox mask rested atop his head. Shikamaru ignored him and continued.

"Uraki's goal in life was to create 'the perfect kill'- he was developing a way to end life without leaving any trace whatsoever."

"The perfect tool for a ninja," Tsunade agreed, smiling at the ANBU tactician's ideas.

"Of course only the shinobi who are extensively trained in this medical jutsu would be able to pull it off. Rumor has it the kill could be quite messy if attempted incorrectly."

"Indeed," Tsunade smiled wickedly. This plan was right up Sakura's ally. Her medical skills now surpassed the Hokage's, and she would have no problem forming them into an Akatsuki-worthy fighting style.

"Either way, Uraki's research and journals were destroyed after his death. Only his apprentice can carry on his work now."

"Hmm," Sai hummed thoughtfully, "Akatsuki would be wise to acquire these skills for their own purposes..."

Shikamaru nodded passively."The word has already been spread through the connections Sai discovered on his last mission. Word is, leading Akatsuki members have already been deployed throughout the country to gather recruits. If we play our cards right, they'll come looking for you, Sakura."

"And if we don't play our cards right?" Hinata asked quietly, trying to cover all of their bases.

"Then we'll have to intercept them. Sai will continue to track Akatsuki's movements throughout the mission. Hyuuga and Uzumaki will accompany Haruno to her position in the outskirts of Lightening. Once she is in position, you two will join Kakashi-taichou in Sunakagure. We'll need backup when the shit hits the fan. Sai- you will shadow Sakura through the entirety of this mission, using your shadow creatures to communicate to one anther and back to Hokage-sama."

Tsunade looked over the mission proposal for what she thought had been at least the fifteenth time. Any holes could have proven to be disastrous.

"Any questions?"

The group looked from Shikamaru to Tsunade before shaking their heads in passing.

"Very well then," Tsunade conceded. "Kurenai?"

The red-eyed woman stepped forward with a smile on her face.

"We have agreed to apply the henge to Sakura's body only. This way she won't have to expend extra chakra to keep clothing or weapons hidden. It will also allow her to keep the henge in place while sleeping or changing in front of another person..."

"Like hell she will..."

"Shut it, Naruto..."

"...The idea works much like a radio- as long as she keeps her chakra on the same station, the henge should be impossible to detect. Naruto and Hinata will also use a henge until they reach Suna to avoid being intercepted by Akatsuki's agents. I suggest that they spend at least twenty-four hours in the henge to adjust to the subtle chakra requirements before leaving on the mission, Hokage-sama."

"Agreed," Tsunade nodded, rising to her feet. "Kurenai, begin the process. Mission will commence in thirty hours. Dismissed."

"Hai," the group chorused, bowing before leaving Naruto, Hinata, Sakura, Kurenai and the Hokage in her office alone.

"Use my ready room, Kurenai. Take Sakura first."

"Hai, Hokage-sama. Come with me, Sakura," Kurenai smiled gently, before walking into the adjacent room. Sakura squeezed Naruto's hand nervously before following the kunoichi.

"Good luck, Sakura-chan. Don't make yourself too hot- you might turn Sasuke straight!" Naruto joked nervously as he played with the strap on his white ANBU-issue vest.

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata scolded him shyly.

"What? I have nothing against gay people..."

"Thanks, Naruto," Sakura smiled appreciatively. He always did know how to make light of a situation. She gave her friends a small wave before closing the door behind her.

"Remove your clothes and stand in the circle," Kurenai instructed. "Don't worry, we're all girls here."

Sakura gave a crooked smile as she undressed. She had shed her modesty long ago, when she had first become a medic. The human body was simply a system to her, an amazing organic machine.

"This mission will be entirely dependent on your ability to stay in this henge until our objective is complete. We won't change the structure of your body, since that would force you to adapt your fighting style. We haven't the time."

"Not even my hips? Or a little extra on top?" Sakura raised an eyebrow jokingly as she stepped into the center of the room.

"Nice try," Kurenai scolded, taking a deep breath to prepare herself. She looked at the younger woman and gave a wink. "Okay- are you ready?"

"Hai."

"Close your eyes."

Sakura did as she was told, trying to relax her body to prepare for the jutsu.

"I've perfected this henge, allowing it to keep active even under extreme stress, chakra depletion, and unconsciousness. It requires minimal chakra input and it will not glitch even if you are injured."

"How on earth did you manage that?" Sakura asked, confused as to how Kurenai had been able to figure out the final key to creating the infallible disguise. Until that moment, it had been unheard of.

"I was thinking of Asuma," Kurenai whispered gently as a sad smile crossed her features. "All shinobi have deep-seeded reasons for fighting these battles and making the sacrifices they do. If we don't have a purpose, then we will fail- _every single time_.

"What you need to do, Sakura, is find your deepest reason for taking this mission," she explained as she formed the hand seals. "If you always keep that idea in your heart and mind, the henge can't fail, even if your body does."

Sakura immediately saw the image of her best friend and brother behind her closed eyelids. There was no doubt in her mind concerning who she had accepted this mission for. She loved the people of Konoha, especially her friends and fellow shinobi, but she was going on this hare-brained mission to save Naruto- not only because of the fact that if Naruto was captured, life as she knew it would end. It was because if anything ever happened to Naruto, her life wouldn't be worth living anyway. She began to feel the warm tingle of Kurenai's jutsu spreading throughout her body, almost as if her limbs were slowly falling asleep.

"Keep those thoughts, Sakura," Kurenai encouraged. "It's working."

Sakura kept her mind trained on her personal reasons for this mission. Thoughts of Naruto filled her mind- smiling blue eyes, unruly blond hair, and whiskered scars adorning his cheeks.

Unnervingly, another face tried to enter her mind, lurking just beneath her consciousness. She tried to meditate harder, smothering the image and making Naruto's face once again consume the blank canvas of her closed eyelids. He would be a factor in this mission, but he was not her purpose any longer. She had long since given up on Uchiha Sasuke.

"You will hold your chakra here for the entirety of this mission. Just one more minute now..."

Sakura slowly became aware of the slight warmth of her skin, eyes and scalp. She changed her chakra to the level that Kurenai was emitting, deciding that it wouldn't take long at all to become accustomed to it. Her thoughts reverted back to her teammate as she she felt the tingling fade away.

"Sakura, open your eyes."

She did as she was told, lifting her eyelids slowly to adjust to the light. She felt slightly nauseous at first, but the discomfort eased after a few moments. Her skin, she noticed as she looked down, had taken on more color. _Much like Naruto's,_ she thought as she stared at her hands. She was also surprised to see that her ANBU tattoo had disappeared. It saddened her, in a way, knowing the work that had gone into earning it. No one would know what she was capable of by looking at her. Perhaps, in afterthought, it was better that way.

"Hmm," Kurenai hummed as she inspected her handiwork. "It's perfect! Your features have remained very similar..."

"Still got the big forehead?"

"... which keeps your appearance very natural," Kurenai continued, ignoring Sakura's outburst. "In reality the only big changes would be your skin, eyes and hair- but that's enough to make you completely unrecognizable."

"So this will work?" Sakura asked sceptically as she began to redress herself. She felt better after seeing how her ANBU uniform still fit her perfectly.

"Hai," Kurenai smiled proudly, "as long as you keep your purpose in mind. Send Naruto in on your way out."

Sakura pulled her white vest over her head as she reached for the door handle.

"Good luck, _Sayuri_."

***

"Naruto, it's your turn," Sakura chimed as she entered the Hokage's office. "Now don't get too excited, but it does tingle a bit..."

Sakura stopped her jibe short when she saw the bewildered looks on her comrade's faces.

"Did I interrupt something?"

Naruto shook his head rapidly to regain his senses.

"Sakura-chan?"

"Naruto-baka?"

"Just checking," Naruto reassured himself. Her aura and disposition were exactly the same, as were her height and physical characteristics. Other than that, the girl in the ANBU uniform looked nothing like his teammate.

Her skin was darker, as if she had spent many hours training in the outdoors. It was her eyes, however, that slightly unnerved him. They were now a deep shade of crystalline blue, and Naruto could have sworn he was looking at a mirror image of himself. What he couldn't understand was why his feisty, pink-haired-and-proud-of-it Sakura-chan would pick such a boring hair color. The length of it reminded him of their genin days, brushing her back at her shoulder blades and curling just a bit at the end. It was the intense, dark hue that confused him.

Why on earth would Sakura choose such raven-black hair?

***

"Juugo."

"Sasuke-san," the read-haired man greeted in turn, entering the cave as Sasuke finished packing his leftover supplies.

"Did the leader give you our orders?" He asked, tightening the belt on his pack as he turned to his former teammate.

"Hai," Juugo nodded, pulling his black cloak closer around his broad shoulders. The wind and rain never ceased in Amekagure. "We're to scout the northeast region, toward Lightening country. We've been given a list of possible resources. We are to report any word of the bijuu or Kyuubi if we come across it."

Sasuke smirked lopsidedly as a menacing glint shone in his onyx eyes.

"Yes, well, I doubt we'll discover anything of the sort."

"Mmm," Juugo agreed stoically as he followed the Uchiha heir out of the cave. "It is doubtful."

"We'll begin in Lightening and work our way back to headquarters. Do we have any names for that area?"

"Hideki Mahatsu is a weapons specialist said to be seen last near Lightening country. There is also a Takeshi Sayuri that was recently added to the list. Supposedly she's a medic of worthy skill..."

"A medic huh?" Sasuke thought. "She must have something big in her bag of tricks to have attracted Madara's attention."

_And at this point, anything would be better than biting Karin...._

"Supposedly she and her mentor have figured out the perfect kill- but her sensei was killed in the attacks on the village not too long ago, and she's been looking for revenge ever since."

"Tch," Sasuke snickered, "I suppose I can commiserate."

This Sayuri character just might be of use to him.

***

The moon shone brightly on the exit streets of Konoha as six shinobi sat hidden in the dense forests surrounding the gate. It was late in the evening and all was silent with the exception of the exchanged whispers in the trees.

"I fear there is little left to say regarding this mission," Tsunade spoke softly, looking into the faces of some of the most talented shinobi in the village. "You all know your purpose, and you know exactly what is at stake if we fail. You are our first and last line of defense, and I have my faith in you. Stay sharp, and don't risk your lives over the little things. Stay in contact."

"Hai, Tsunade-Sama," they chorused, pulling their hooded robes over their heads.

"Good luck to you all. Especially you, Haruno," Tsunade smiled, trying to hide the slight sadness in her voice. "There isn't any more you can learn from me. I hope to learn from you someday."

"Goodbye Shishou," she whispered thankfully, before gracefully leaping away into the canopy.

"Stay safe, you three," Kakashi called over the mic, as he separated and started his journey towards Suna.

"Give Gaara my best," Naruto smirked as he continued on toward Lightening. He hid his now brown hair beneath his hood as his coal gray eyes scanned the terrain. Hinata took the rear, sandwiching Sakura in the middle. The henge had made her hair a dirty blond, with shining green eyes to match. They all felt a bit naked without their ANBU attire, but they knew their mission could end before it ever began if their identities were compromised. Sai followed their path about a kilometer behind, ready to intercept any messages.

"I never got to thank you," Naruto's voice spoke into the speaker in Sakura's ear. It broke her heart to hear his voice laden with guilt.

"You'd do the same for me," she reassured him quietly. "And you have, over and over again." She refused to let her emotions get to her now. She had done all of her crying the night before, while she looked into the mirror and lamented that her hair had turned black, instead of the yellow-blond she had tried so valiantly to focus on during the henge jutsu. She was doing this for Naruto, but she had been a fool to think that the prospect of seeing Sasuke again wasn't another reason for motivation.

She had started her kunoichi career with two boys. It seemed now that it may end the same way it began.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3- On the Road Again

The three shinobi dropped out of the treetops silently as they reached the northeast border of Fire country. Sakura's legs burned as she knelt on the damp soil of the forest floor as he companions took the time to catch their breath.

"We should make camp for the night," Sakura suggested in a whisper, removing the gray hood of her cloak before wiping the dirt and sweat from her face. Her now-dark hair was mussed and tangled from the days of hard travel, and she didn't want to think about how she must have smelled.

Naruto nodded in agreement as he silently created a bunshin to scout the area. Hinata scanned their surroundings with her byakugan before giving the signal that it was okay to speak freely.

"I call dibs on the lake," Sakura grinned as Naruto rubbed the stubbly beginning of a beard forlornly.

"A bath does sound lovely," Hinata smiled wistfully. Her voice now remained steady with the practiced skill of a diplomat and an ANBU officer, but her quiet reservedness would always remain. Naruto grinned at his girlfriend slyly.

"Oh! We could save water if two of us take a bath at the same time," he winked at the now-blonde ANBU. Sakura snorted.

"It's a _lake_, dumbass," she laughed as Hinata blushed furiously. "There's no shortage of water. Nice try, Slick."

Naruto frowned grumpily.

"Remind me again why I call you my best friend? You're definitely not supporting me in my relationship."

"You've been together for over three years," Sakura snorted, crossing her arms over her chest. "If you still need my help then Hinata should dump your ass..."

"Bitch."

"Dumbass."

"..."

Both shinobi doubled over laughing in the same instant as Hinata raised an eyebrow. She loved them both, but she could only assume that their odd behavior was attributed to the fatigue from traveling. At least, that was the only valid excuse she could ever make for them. At least this exchange hadn't ended with Sakura giving Naruto that familiar bump on his head. Naruto's eyes closed for a moment before he nodded in acknowledgment.

"There's a small clearing about a mile east of our current position that should provide just enough cover..."

Both women looked at him with pleading eyes.

"... and yes, there's a lake."

The girls almost knocked each other out as they launched themselves toward him in a hug before they disappeared into the trees a moment later.

"You're welcome?"

The brown-haired ninja shook his head in confusion.

"I'll never understand women."

Sakura sighed contently as the cool water engulfed her body. Her muscles began to slowly untie themselves from the knots created by tree hopping, and she relished the cooling effects of the water as she dunked her head below the surface.

Yes, she was a top-ranking shinobi. Yes, she worked as hard as the men and did whatever was required to complete her missions. She could travel for weeks and be covered in dirt if need be.

But she didn't have to smell like a pig, nor did she ever care to.

Sakura hastily uncapped the herbal shampoo she had made with Ino before she left and began scrubbing the long, dark tresses. Shampoo wasn't exactly a standard-issue item for missions, but with the hell she was bound to go through in the following months she figured it was worth the extra weight in her bag to have a small comfort. Alone in the water, she finally allowed herself some time to let the her situation sink in.

As the days passed, Sakura had come to terms with the enormity of this mission. She knew her purpose, and she had already poured her entire being into the preparation, but there were no guarantees and many unknowns, making any kind of formal planning impossible. She would have to rely solely on her abilities as a kunoichi- act and react, consider all outcomes in an instant, and never give away your secrets. She knew little about Madara, aside from the fact that he could seemingly shift dimensions and was a psychopathic asshole. As for the other Akatsuki- aside from their fighting styles, she knew very little about them, as well.

"Even you," she whispered as she held the black strands between her fingers. She let them fall to her shoulder, watching as they waved out in a fan on the calm surface of the water.

The last time they had seen Sasuke he had tried without mercy to kill them. He was already twisted by hatred and lies, and the Sasuke they had once known no longer existed from that instant on. Sakura had cried bitterly the first time he had left for Sound, and her depression hadn't gone unnoticed by her friends and family. Only her intense training and Naruto's timely return had brought her back around. It wasn't until she had heard the news about Sasuke's assassination attempts at the Kage summit that the tears returned. Uchiha Sasuke- their friend, teammate, and brother- was dead. His body had been consumed by the curse that had followed him throughout his life. Had she encountered him afterward, she probably would have killed him to put them all out of their misery.

But Naruto would have had no part of that. He still believed there was always a chance; that there was always a sliver of good in everyone.

After hearing what Sasuke was now capable of, Sakura had lost that hope.

Sakura had given up on Uchiha Sasuke.

Or so that was what she had trained herself to believe to stop the unbearable pain that threatened to return every night as she closed her eyes. Slowly, Sakura held her breath and sank slowly below the ripples in an attempt to erase the negative thoughts.

_Even if he is in Akatsuki,_ she thought as she held her breath underwater, _there's a chance that I won't even see him._

Akatsuki traveled all over the country while on missions, and Sai said that they rarely convened in person. It seemed the chances of running into Sasuke were actually quite slim.

Sakura resurfaced slowly, relishing the rush of air filling her starved lungs. Sasuke or not, she needed to keep her head on straight if she had any hope of completing this mission. He couldn't help her, and he wouldn't be willing to help Naruto, so she might as well stay out of his way.

_But so help me,_ she thought with a wicked grin, _if he even looks at me funny, I'm going to kick him right in the balls._

Smiling, Sakura returned to scrubbing.

Naruto hummed absently to himself as he added more kindling to the fire he had started minutes before. His mind strayed to a dozen different trains of thought- the mission, Sakura, the guilt, Sasuke, Konoha, and finally back to the woman who was returning with an armload of logs for the fire.

Uzumaki Naruto had never been a negative person. Quite the opposite, in fact- if it hadn't been for his unfailing optimism and sheer determination, he would have given into the darkness and ridicule long ago. Now, however, he began to realize why he had thought adults were too serious. The world is far bigger than a child can comprehend, and the dangers reach far beyond the shadows lurking under the bed at night.

It seemed the taller he grew, the more gravity wanted to bring him down.

"Naruto-kun?"

The young man raised his eyes to the source of the gentle voice as she smiled sweetly at him. Although his outward appearance had changed, the slight slump of his shoulders and the way his left eyebrow hung slightly lower than the right was distinctly _Naruto_. Hinata had come to know all of his mannerisms in the three years they had spent together. At that moment, she could tell that he was in her least favorite of his moods- _melancholy. _She was happy to see his eyes brighten as he looked up at her.

"Hina-chan," he smiled, patting the spot on the log beside him.

"What's the matter?" She asked instantly, laughing a bit at the way his eyes widened. Even after three years, he still seemed shocked when she could tell exactly what he was thinking. He smiled lopsidedly at her before turning his attention to his feet. His chest felt a bit lighter as he felt her hand gingerly resting on his knee. He took a deep breath as she laid her head on his shoulder.

"This is real, isn't it?"

"This?"

"This- this mission. This bad guy, this danger..."

Hinata sat up a bit straighter and tucked an unruly brown lock behind his ear.

"Yes. Yes it is."

"And it's all centered around me-"

"No," she interrupted firmly, hiding the small part of her that still wanted to be shocked that she would have the audacity to do such a thing in front of Naruto. "It's centered around a power-hungry psychopath. It's true that he happens to be after a being of great power that just happens to reside within you, but otherwise you have control of the Kyuubi, yes?"

Naruto nodded. Thankfully the Hachibi vessel had been able to help him face his demon before he was captured by Akatsuki. Naruto was in full control.

"Then you pose no threat. None of this is your fault, Naruto-kun," she smiled warmly, her green eyes shining lavender for just a moment, "and you can't hold on to this feeling that you owe the world something."

"But Sakura is putting her life on the line..."

"We all are. And we'd do it a million times over for a friend-"

"For someone you looooooooooove..." Naruto crooned, already feeling happier and rather enjoying the small, gentle circles she was rubbing on his back.

"Very much so, yes," she giggled quietly, feeling a blush creep to her cheeks as Naruto captured her lips in a sweet kiss. He ran his fingers through her hair, missing the long dark locks that used to shine almost violet in the sun. A soft, contented moan escaped her lips as he leaned over her and pinned her body between the log and himself.

"Umm... Nar...uto..." she attempted to gasp out between kisses, "Sakura could be back any minute..."

"Uh-uh..." Naruto protested, moving to her neck, "she's a chick who hasn't bathed in days. She'll take forever..."

"A-_hem_..."

Naruto and Hinata leaped to their feet, desperately trying to straighten their clothes as they tried to act as if nothing was happening.

"Just _who_ will take forever?" Sakura smirked, shaking the excess water out of her hair and thoroughly enjoying how uncomfortable the couple before her looked.

"I'm going to go take a bath," Hinata muttered sheepishly, grabbing her pack before disappearing like a blur into the woods. Naruto watched her go forlornly before turning to his best friend with a very disappointed look on his face.

"What the Hell! Aren't you a girl?" He exploded, keeping his hands on his hips in a very comic manner.

"I thought you had figured that out by now..."

"Then why the hell did you take such a short bath?"

"Are you scolding me?" Sakura giggled. Naruto pouted, only adding to her mounting laughter. "And secondly, what did you expect? Like I'm going to stay naked in the woods for a prolonged period of time with no weapons on me..."

"You're a freaking S-Level Kunoichi! Don't you take them in with you?"

"And where, pray tell, will I hide them?"

Naruto turned slightly green before he choked.

"Never mind," Sakura conceded, smirking as the young man did his why-on-Kami's-green-earth-would-you-ever-say-that dance to forget. "The bigger question is why aren't you in the lake now? Speaking of weaponless kunoichis..."

"Because I respect her privacy?" He supplied, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

"Oh, was that what I just saw?"

"Screw yo-"

"Oh for crying out loud, Uzumaki!"

Naruto looked confused. Sakura just sighed.

"The world as we know it may very well be coming to an end and you're standing there while your lovely lady is bathing by herself in a beautiful lake as the sun sets. Ummm... HELLO?"

"Are you encouraging me?" Naruto asked suspiciously.

"Urgh. Just GO will you? I'll be fine, now that I'm fully armed."

Naruto smiled a mile wide before giving Sakura a quick peck on the cheek and running into the woods.

"Suck-up," she grinned as she set up her bedroll for the night.

"And don't you ever claim that I'm not supportive of your relationship!"

Sakura no longer felt as though her legs were made of lead.

_This is what I am protecting._

She'd do anything to keep that smile on Naruto's face.

Uchiha Sasuke was not in a good mood. Hideki Mahatsu had been a waste of his time- time that he didn't have to begin with. The man had been fanatical, rash, and cocky. The combination of the three traits had made the man harder to kill than others the pair had encountered, and he certainly wouldn't have joined Sasuke's cause. Juugo's curse seal had activated during the battle and he was struggling to keep up with the angry (former)avenger now that the hyperactive state had worn off. He was relieved to see the bright orange sun dip below the horizon.

"We are nearing the border," Sasuke called behind him. "We should stop for the night at the next clearing."

Juugo nodded in relieved consent as an inky black sparrow came to rest on his shoulder. The relief on his face soon turned to concern.

"Halt, Sasuke-san."

Sasuke was annoyed with the sudden command, but he stopped nonetheless. Juugo didn't make decisions without reason- at least not in this state.

"What is it?"

"That bird just informed me that there are three people camping in the next clearing..."

"So we take the next one," Sasuke interrupted, quickly losing what little patience he had left.

"They have strange chakra signatures, and one of the women fits Takeshi's description."

_Shitty timing, _Sasuke thought as he mulled the situation over.

"If all three happen to be shinobi, we won't have very good odds if it comes down to another fight. My chakra levels are nearly depleted," Juugo reasoned.

"What kind of shinobi are we talking about?"

"Well we should consider Sayuri S-class if we're hunting her. I doubt she'd keep companions with anyone less than jounin in her position. Cloud nin are known for their genjutsu skills. They are dressed as civilians, but their strange chakra readings could indicate that they are using some kind of suppression or henge technique."

"We need more information," Sasuke concluded, motioning for his partner to follow him silently. They reached a lake in the clearing minutes later, stopping to observe a couple in the water from a safe distance. Activating his sharingan, Sasuke watched as the couple crawled onto the shore.

"It's definitely a henge, but their original forms have been skewered- I can't make them out. A powerful genjutsu user must be behind it."

"Well that accounts for two of the three," Juugo suggested, feeling awkward as he observed the couple entwined on the embankment.

"But neither fit Takeshi's description," Sasuke reasoned.

"They seem _distracted,_ needless to say," Juugo whispered, "Which means we may be able to catch the third alone."

Sasuke nodded. "At the very least, we can get some information as to who these people are. If we're lucky, we may be able to recruit Sayuri without a fight. She may not be as confident without her companions."

Juugo nodded wordlessly in agreement as he followed his partner around the lake, landing silently in the trees surrounding the adjacent campsite. Sasuke crouched low as he observed the young woman sitting on a log by the fire. She sang quietly to herself as she watched water come to a boil over the fire.

"_I'm sending you away tonight,_

_ I'll put you on a bird's strong wing,"_

" She fits the description intel provided," Juugo whispered, holding his breath as he watched the woman's head whip around in their direction.

"Shin? Mei?" She called, silently withdrawing a kunai from the folds of her cloak.

_Definitely shinobi,_ Sasuke decided. And a skilled one from the look of her. It was too bad they had lost the advantage of surprise.

"Juugo, standard formation on my mark."

"Hai, Sasuke-san," the orange-haired man nodded, launching into the air at the Uchiha's signal.

Sakura froze as she felt the blade of a katana press against the soft spot near her kidney. Her surprise grew as a figure materialized before her, piercing together to form the image of a tall man with flaming hair and a billowing black cape dotted with red clouds.

_Shit, I just had to egg Naruto on..._

"Takeshi-san," the figure bowed, "it's an honor to finally meet you."

_And so it begins..._

"I wish I could say the same," she spat, "but I wasn't exactly expecting company."

With a sharp jerk of her arm and a sudden release of chakra, Sakura deflected the katana with her kunai before spinning to deliver a kick to her captor's free arm and a knee to his nose. His hood covered his face as he stumbled backward.

_I'll have to thank Lee-san for that one later..._

"Restraint will not be required if you accept our proposal," Juugo offered evenly, focusing on Sayuri as his partner regained his composure.

"Which is?" Sakura pried.

Juugo smirked. His partner leaned in closer to her ear.

"Join us."

The voice was hauntingly familiar.

A bit deeper and a bit huskier, but painfully familiar.

_Kami-sama must really hate me..._

It took more focus than she thought possible to keep her indifferent facade. She was never meant to escape him, was she?

"Join who?" She asked haughtily as she regained her voice. "Last time I checked, your leader had a god complex that was quite unbecoming..."

Sasuke sneered.

"That 'God complex' razed your village."

"Leave my village alone."

Her voice was dangerously low. It was clear that he had hit a nerve.

He just hoped he had hit the _right_ nerve.

"We can give you the power to protect your village in the future," Sasuke spoke carefully, walking closer to the kunoichi's back. "Think of Akatsuki as an alliance; no harm will come to your people as long as you remain loyal to our cause."

Sakura tried valiantly to ignore the prickling sensation at the back of her neck as she felt the familiar presence move closer. She instead moved her focus to the giant of a man in front of her. _This is my chance to get in,_ she thought, _but they'll never take me if I seem too eager..._

"My people are mostly dead- and why would I join those who ally themselves with the person behind their deaths?" She reasoned, narrowing her eyes dangerously. "It seems I have more to offer than you can provide in return. Your leader can come to me himself when he re-evaluates his offer."

Sakura began to raise her hands to form an escape jutsu when Sasuke appeared in front of her. His sharingan had seen through her next move, and now she was face-to-face with the one person who could make or break the entire mission.

He was tall, his chin able to easily rest atop her head. His hair was longer, too, the ebony tips just brushing his neck. His face was just as handsome as she had remembered, but he seemed older, somehow. Careworn, maybe. A thin scar ran from his chin to his left eye, accenting the three tamoes swirling in his once-obsidian eyes.

"Going somewhere?" He smirked, unable to gauge the look in her eyes. It wasn't often that he was unable to pinpoint a target's emotions. This girl could provide a refreshing _challenge_ for him.

Sakura frowned, breathing slowly to calm the turmoil in her brain.

_Of all god-forsaken_ _people..._

"I have no interest in your leader's organization."

Sasuke remained silent a moment. If this woman really could do what intelligence had suggested, she would be a worthy ally. Her distaste for Madara also seemed genuine. Perhaps she would listen to reason.

"Then perhaps I could offer you an alternative."

Sakura remained silent. This was not part of the mission briefing.

"Join me and take down the person responsible for your village's massacre."

"You're walking a fine line." _And I'm not sure what the hell you think you're planning, Uchiha..._

Sasuke allowed himself to release some of the tension in his shoulders. At least she didn't seem ready to attack.

"I could use a quiet assassin," he offered, "and you seem to fit the bill if I've heard correctly."

"What makes you think you have a snowball's chance in hell?"

"It can be explained later, but if you have any idea who I am you'd realize that I'm not one to joke around."

"That would be helpful, if I knew who you were," Sakura smirked. _You're not as famous as you'd like, ego-brain!_

Sasuke smirked. "No pretenses then- I can agree to that."

The Uchiha took a step forward.

"I extend my offer one last time. Accept, and come with us immediately. Deny me, and I'll be forced to kill you as well as that cute couple by the lake," he spoke, his face dangerously close to hers. He held his hand out to her while prepping a seal with his other.

"Sayuri!"

Sakura spun around to see Naruto standing at the tree line. His eyes were hazy, focused on the man standing before his best friend. Sakura gave him a weak smile.

_Trust in me, Naruto._

"Take care, Shin. I leave everything to you now," Sakura spoke, her heart breaking a bit at the shock enveloping her brother's face. Her eyes said more than words ever could:

_I love you. _

With stoic eyes she turned back to the youngest Uchiha.

"I accept."

Naruto blinked, and she was gone.

A/N: **I apologize a million times over for the long hiatus. No need to bore you with details, I've just been busy trying to survive life. I hope you enjoy the update- the next chapter is already in the making.**

** The song Sakura sings by the fire is titled "Bird's Song" by Ingrid Michaelson.**

**To my reviewers- you all are wonderful. I am especially thankful for those who take the time to both read the story and leave detailed, constructive reviews. I'm not a little girl- I have no problem with constructive criticism, and I appreciate the fact that these wonderful readers take the time to really analyze my writing and tell me what they'd like to see improve. It is the highest compliment for a writer to see that someone cares so much. Thank you!**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4- A New Life

**A/N: This story may contain manga spoilers.**

She wanted to vomit.

_ That just isn't natural._

"You'll feel normal momentarily," Sasuke supplied after noticing the pallor rise in her cheeks. Sakura simply shot him a glare.

_ It had better be, Uchiha, or my lunch is going all over that pretty face of yours._

They had been transported to a cave hidden within some cliffs about a mile away. She had to admit it was a good hideout; the area was well hidden and it would take a very specific set of skills to be accessible. Juugo set himself to work rekindling the fire in a pit towards the back of the main cavern. The taller man noticed Sakura as she took in their surroundings.

"This is one of our many hideouts," he explained as he unpacked some rations. "All are accessible only if you are a member. If Madara approves of your entry into the organization, you will be given a ring with a key chakra signature. This will allow you access to our weapon stores, bank vaults, laboratories and safehouses."

"_If_ Madara approves..." Sakura restated, taking a seat by the fire. It grew cold quickly after the sun went down. Juugo nodded calmly as he threw her a package of rations.

"Hai. All final decisions are made by the Leader. However," Juugo paused as Sasuke passed into the back cavern. "Sasuke-san holds a solid rank within the organization. If Sasuke approves of you, Madara will have no reason to deny you."

"Sasuke only approves of me because I'm willing to take his side in this ridiculous power struggle," Sakura reasoned, making a disgusted face as she bit into the protein bar. "This is fu-"

"Inedible, I know. I apologize for interrupting your dinner. It probably would have been easier to digest than freeze-dried rations," Juugo smiled apologetically.

"Instant ramen's not much better, but at least it tastes like something," Sakura smiled, her blue eyes twinkling in the firelight. "So what's your story..."

"Juugo," he supplied, bowing his head in introduction.

"Juugo? You seem far too amiable to be in this organization."

The man nodded shyly, a slight blush rising to his cheeks. "As do you, Sayuri-san," he spoke quietly. "I am a monster. I trust you've heard of the Sannin Orochimaru?"

Flashes of the chuunin exams and Sasuke's defection played in her mind.

_Power hungry, creepy, snake-eyed, pedophile, bastard..._

"Unfortunately, I have."

"He rescued me."

Sakura looked as if the man had grown three heads.

"My chakra is unstable," Juugo explained further. "Occasionally I black out and go into these fits of rage. I'll kill anything in sight. Orochimaru locked me up in a cell and provided me my basic needs. One of his followers, Kimimaro, could control these beserker fits. After he died, Sasuke sought me out and became the only one who can bring me back to reality."

Sakura began to piece the story together, although she knew she could give no indication of her prior knowledge of the Uchiha.

_Hmm,_ she thought deviously,_ a fresh start?_

Sasuke returned from the back cavern, grabbing the ration pouch from Juugo's hand.

"So," Sakura piped up, giving Sasuke an innocent look. "What's your story?"

Sasuke simply gave her a blank stare before retreating into the back once again.

_Or not..._

"You'll have to excuse Sasuke-san," Juugo spoke. "He mostly keeps to himself, and only speaks when necessary. His story is..." he paused, searching for the right word, "difficult."

Sakura wondered if Juugo really understood how difficult Sasuke's life had become.

XxXxXx

"Do you have them?"

"I have the medic," Sasuke clarified, staring in distaste at the flickering image wearing the swirling orange mask.

"The swordsman?"

"He was weak," Sasuke lied, hiding a grimace as he felt a sharp stab of pain shoot through one of his broken ribs.

"And you believe this woman is an asset?"

"She will serve her purpose," Sasuke managed a smirk despite the pain.

In actuality, Sasuke knew very little about this woman. He could tell her taijustsu skills were formidable, but he had yet to see any evidence of medical prowess or ninjutsu techniques. What mattered more was that she was determined and had a vendetta against Madara.

Sasuke knew how powerful a vendetta could be.

The figure before him nodded in acceptance.

"Return to base. We'll put her through the skills tests here."

"Hai," Sasuke ground through clenched teeth. The man made his skin crawl, and he was loathe to return to see him in person. "We'll return within the week."

Sasuke turned to leave as the image faded away.

_Time to test this medic's skills..._

XxXxXx

"So your brother, Shin, and his wife are the only ones left?"

"That I am aware of, yes," Sakura spoke, trying to remain as stoic as possible.

_Poor Naruto, he must be worried sick..._

Luckily for Sakura, Juugo mistook her underlying sadness as a result of the loss of her people. She couldn't let on that she was already homesick.

"Will they come after you?" He asked with a steely glint in his eye. Akatsuki would dispose of them quickly if they attempted a rescue.

"Iie," Sakura refused. "Shin saw that I came willingly. He'll continue our mission in my stead. He will rebuild our village with any survivors he can find.

"Wakarimashita," Juugo spoke quietly, as Sakura felt a familiar presence enter the room.

"Sayuri-"

Sakura refrained from shuddering as his voice pierced the quiet of the cave, trying to ignore the feeling of cold water trickling under her skin and down her spine. Her chest constricted as she heard his footsteps against the cold stone floor. She had done undercover missions dozens of times and had come to pride herself on her acting skills. Fate had been cruel this time, however- for if there was anyone who could always see through her disguise, it was Uchiha Sasuke.

She had yet to come to terms with being captured by _him_ of all people; it was ironic, considering she had spent every spare moment of the past seven years trying to come up with every way possible to find him. Every night she would see his face behind closed eyelids as she imagined the words she would use to convince him to come home:

"We can help you..."

"Naruto needs you..."

"We can defeat the Akatsuki together..."

"Hokage-sama can grant you a full pardon if you return home with information..."

"You can rebuild your clan..."

_"I love you so much, I can't stand it!"_

Sakura grimaced painfully.

She remembered reading somewhere that you will find what you're looking for in the instant you stop searching.

She suppressed the urge to punch that author in his face as Sasuke came to stand before her.

_What will I dream about now?_

It was all just so..._ backward._

Sakura gathered her courage as she looked up at his face. She instantly recognized the tenseness in his jaw and the narrow squint of his eyes. His breathing was quiet, but she could tell by the quick rise and fall of the muscles in his chest that it was shallow and labored.

"You're injured," she stated matter-of-factly, her medical training kicking in instantly. "Sit."

"No."

_Injured and stubborn, _she frowned. She should have remembered that he was a difficult patient.

"I can heal you," she spoke evenly before standing and grabbing her med pouch from between the folds of her discarded robe. She could see the blood beginning to seep through his shirt from various lacerations, and a deep purple bruise was revealed as his open shirt shifted over his ribs.

"You have at least two broken ribs," she pointed out, the medic within overcoming her previous shyness as she moved closer to him, "both of which can damage vital organs if you don't let me fix them. Those cuts are going to start yielding infections soon, too. Resetting your ribs will be painful," she continued bluntly, "so I recommend that you _sit down._"

Sasuke glared at her haughtily before moving to his sleeping mat. Slowly, without taking his eyes off her, he lowered himself to the ground. Sakura smirked. _All he needs to do is pout and he'll look just like a petulant child..._

"Glad to see that you live up to your reputation, Uchiha," she smiled as she knelt beside him. "Stubborn, but not stupid."

"I thought you knew nothing of my reputation," he questioned evenly as he watched her soak a cloth in the water boiling over the fire.

"Hmm," she smiled sneakily as she let the cloth cool enough to wring it out, "it seemed your ego was big enough without my adding to it..."

Juugo looked on in interest at the conversation happening before him. It almost seemed _natural_.

"I'll need you to remove your shirt," she spoke professionally. Sasuke closed his eyes as he complied, hiding a wince as the fabric peeled slowly from the clotted blood and his sudden movement sent a sharp pain shooting through his side. His left eye cracked open a bit as he felt her hands brush his as she took the shirt from him gently, holding his skin in place as she peeled the soaked fabric from his injuries. It had been a long time since someone had treated him so carefully. He opened his eyes slowly to see her blue eyes searching his body in an attempt to identify the severe injuries first. He studied her closely as she worked, watching the firelight glance off her ebony locks and strike shadows onto her familiar features.

_Have I seen her before?_

His breath hitched in his throat as she touched the growing bruise on his side. Her sharp blue eyes met his instantly.

"Sorry," she whispered, refusing to allow any unprofessional thoughts to enter her head as she ran her fingers down the hardened muscles on his stomach and side. "I think you've damaged more than two ribs..."

"Must've been that damn ax," Juugo supplied, shrugging his shoulders as Sasuke threw him a glare. Sakura looked slightly amused.

"Ax?" She raised an eyebrow. "I can only imagine what your opponent looks like..."

"You'd have to look in a few different places to see him now," Juugo smiled morbidly.

"I see," she replied, turning her attention back to her patient. "I'll need you to hold still," she instructed while handing Sasuke a rolled up piece of cloth. "You can bite down on that."

Any other time he would have tried to tough it out, but Sasuke unfortunately had had broken bones before. Kabuto rarely made it out alive after healing Sasuke. He hoped this girl knew what she was doing. He slowly placed the towel between his teeth and closed his eyes.

Sakura took a deep breath and focused chakra into her hands before pressing firmly on his bruised side. He flinched with a sharp intake of air, but made no other sounds whatsoever.

_Still full of pride, aren't we, Sasuke-kun?_

She worked as efficiently as possible to mend the fragments of bone back together before fusing them onto his ribcage. He'd need a calcium supplement to help regrow the tiny fragments that were too fine to reattach. She noticed his breathing ease as he began to exhale at a more even rate.

"The pain should ease dramatically in the next few minutes," she reassured him, checking his muscles and organs for any internal bleeding. Aside from the nasty bruise, he seemed to be alright. She gently removed her chakra and turned her attention to his bloodied torso. She frowned as she noticed the multitude of scars adorning his chest and arms. Many wounds seemed to have reopened in the recent skirmish. She ran her finger carefully down a jagged, white line that ran from his collarbone to his navel.

"Many of these wounds haven't healed properly," she frowned, jerking her hand away as his abdominal muscles clenched at her touch. "They were sealed too quickly..."

"I didn't have time to visit a hospital," he quipped sarcastically, ignoring the tingle of warmth from her hand. Sakura could only nod in reply as she dunked the linen into the boiling water again. She let it cool before pressing the cloth to an open laceration on his chest. He tried to avoid flinching as the hot water stung the large opening where Hideki's serrated dagger had pierced his skin.

"Exactly how many weapons did this guy use?" She asked rhetorically and she continued to clean the assortment of cuts and scrapes. "Juugo, please crush these leaves into a paste for me."

Juugo took the deep purple leaves she had produced from her pouch and laid them on a rock before grinding them with another stone.

"Arigato," she smiled while applying pressure to the wounds that were still bleeding. She frowned as she decided that she would have to stitch the deep incision along his bicep. Sasuke remained quiet as he watched her work, studying her face as her brow set in concentration. It was clear that she had done this a million times before. She worked in a methodical rhythm, knowing exactly what herbs to use and how much chakra pressure to apply to relieve pain. Her brilliant blue eyes remained focused on her work without a hint of a blush on her cheeks. It was a reprieve from the extra touching and lustful stares he normally received from Karin as he bit into her flesh. Her methods worked quickly and were handy in a battle, but he was a sex object to her, and she rarely let him forget that fact. He had given into her once- he was a man, after all. She had assured him that it meant nothing to her- a lie, considering the tears that fell as she clung to him the next morning. She had been annoyingly hopeful for another encounter after that, and he had to crush her wanton advances a dozen times before she finally requested to be paired with Suigetsu instead. Being with Juugo the past year had been a refreshing change from his partnership with Karin, but the lack of medical support on missions had left him with the battle scars that now adorned his skin. His body remained in perfect condition for a ninja- not too bulky or muscled, but lithe and strong for his frame- and most women he encountered on missions would take notice.

_Fangirls...Tch._

But the woman before him remained passive, her eyes and body language never making him annoyed or uncomfortable like so many others. She almost seemed afraid to touch him.

_She's smarter than I thought..._

She wasn't unattractive, he noticed. Her features were small and unobtrusive, but her brilliant blue eyes evoked a certain feeling of easiness within him. Her hair brushed her shoulders gently as it fell in neat, obsidian waves- the complete opposite of Karin's bright red, unkempt hair. In a way, he realized with a pang of regret, her hair reminded him of his mother.

Sakura noticed the faraway look in his eyes as she stole a glance at his face.

"I'm almost done," she said softly, rubbing some purple paste onto his newly-stitched arm before wrapping it in gauze. "Hopefully that will keep it from itching too much as it heals."

Sasuke flexed his arm experimentally before gingerly touching the bruise on his side. It would be sore, but he would be able to work through the pain without a problem.

"Arigato," he spoke evenly, looking her directly in the eye.

Sakura almost shuddered. Without the sharingan, his eyes and deep voice reminded her of the exchange she relived every night as she closed her eyes.

Now, it was almost as if the cold Sasuke she had seen at Orochimaru's hideout had been a figment of her imagination. He was by no means sweet or even nice, but the hard, unforgiving exterior had been erased somehow. Perhaps time had made him less volatile and cruel. It was strange to see those eyes again.

_Snap out of it, Pinky..._

"It's my job," she replied simply, finally tearing her eyes away from his. "Eat this," she instructed, reaching into her pouch and removing a vitamin ball., "and get some rest. My methods are useless if you stupidly push yourself."

She ignored his skeptically raised eyebrow as she turned her attention to Juugo.

"Let's have a look."

"I'll have to decline, Sayuri-san," Juugo explained. "It would be unwise to mix a foreign chakra with my own. I heal quickly."

Sakura nodded in consent. If he had an outbreak now, there would be a slim chance of Sasuke being able to stop it in his condition.

"Then get some sleep. I'll take first watch," she insisted, walking toward the mouth of the cave.

_I need some time to think..._

Sasuke really couldn't find any excuse to contradict her.

"I'll relieve you in a few hours," Sasuke spoke. "We leave at daybreak to rendezvous with the Leader. It will be about a week's worth of travel."

_And so it begins..._

"Wakarimashita," she replied softly, walking quickly to the entrance in an attempt to avoid any further contact. She sat on the edge of the cave ledge, looking solemnly at the shallow stream running hundreds of feet below.

_Naruto would have loved this view..._

She smiled sadly as an inky black bird came to perch on the ledge next to her.

_I hope you're okay, Naruto-kun, _she thought as she closed her eyes, holding her hand out slowly as an invitation for the blackbird to land.

"I was wondering when you'd show up..." she whispered.

XxXxXx

Naruto was still in a state of shock as he tree-hopped through the night.

_"I leave everything to you now..."_

Her words still rang in the air as he checked to make sure Hinata was still behind him. Neither could rest after they saw her disappear. The best they could do was continue on their mission.

Sakura had, after all, done the same.

For once, Naruto was angry that a mission was going according to plan.

Sakura was alone with _him._

He would have given anything to trade places with her.

"Inky to Fox." Naruto heard the whisper of Sai's voice over the mic.

"Fox here."

"I've found her. She's in."

Naruto closed his eyes.

_I leave everything to you now, Sakura-chan._


End file.
